This invention relates to a collapsible stand for use in supporting a rear wheel of a bicycle and has uses in applications such as holding a bicycle for display or for work to be performed on the bicycle.
The display of bicycles in a bicycle shop, for example, can be done in variety of ways including using kickstands on each respective bicycle or hanging the bicycles from the ceiling. The use of kickstands makes it difficult to arrange the bicycles in a neat, orderly manner pleasing to a prospective purchaser. Furthermore, the use of kickstands requires the shop owner to have access to the rear or middle of the bicycle in order to permit the kickstand to be retracted to enable the bicycle to be removed from the group of bicycles on display. This requires that the bicycles on display be spaced apart sufficiently to permit the owner to get between them. Unfortunately, this limits the number of bicycles which can be displayed in a given area, i.e. the density of the display.
Notwithstanding the above problems for the shop owner, a bicycle owner may wish to support his bicycle at home to enable work to be performed on the bicycle. Conventional methods of positioning a bicycle for work depends upon the work to be performed. Some work can be done with the bicycle lying on its side whereas other work can only be done with the bicycle supported upright. In addition some work which has heretofore been done with the bicycle lying on its side is made easier by supporting the bicycle in an upright position. Support of the bicycle in a upright position can be important for some maintenance work and therefore there is a requirement to support a bicycle in this manner.
In particular, work which requires that the rear wheel of the bicycle be removed, while enabling the pedals to rotate can only be done with the rear wheel off of the ground and with the pedals free to rotate. This can be accomplished by supporting the bicycle by its chainstay and seatstay, in an upright position such that the rear wheel is off of the ground. The present invention addresses this requirement.